1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is in the field of train systems. More specifically, in the area of rapid transit.
2. Description of Related Art
In the field of rapid transit systems, there have been many innovations on the technology side. The very first locomotives were powered by steam. Then came the gas and diesel locomotives. Then came electric motor locomotives. Today, there are systems that run using various types of magnetic propulsion. Regardless of all the innovation, and increases in speed capabilities, many problems remain.
Scheduling systems used today may have set times for each stop, so that commuters know when they should be at a certain location. This may be an important factor, especially when there are infrequent stops made by the trains. A set schedule may also result in time that may be considered wasted if there are infrequent passengers getting off or on at that particular stop. With the help of history and records of ridership gathered from various forms of public transportation, the number of stops at less active locations are decreased. Fewer stops may result in a shorter time between an origin and destination. However, this creates another problem—fewer stops may lead to faster travel time overall, but it may be an inconvenience to people who depend on public transportation and are required to commute from less popular areas. This may lead to people deciding not to use public transportation at all, and, instead, decide to use personal transportation out of convenience.
Therefore, what is clearly needed is a system that doesn't adhere entirely to the old scheduling system, while allowing for more stops, with little or no time penalties for additional stops.